As the name suggests, a magnetic monopole is a magnetic particle possessing only a single, isolated pole—a north pole without a south pole, or vice versa. Such particles were predicted by Paul Dirac in 1931, but have never been seen in nature. However, an analogue of a long-sought-after particle comprising an isolated magnetic pole has been observed by physicists in the U.S. and Finland. See http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2014/jan/30/magnetic-monopoles-seen-in-the-lab. This latest work does not prove whether or not the unusual particles exist, rather it shows that a physical system described by the underlying mathematics can be created in the lab. The research could also help physicists to gain a better understanding of exotic materials such as superconductors, and even create materials with new and useful properties.